10
January
2007
“Imagine if every Thursday your shoes exploded if you tied them the usual way. This happens to us all the time with computers, and nobody thinks of complaining.” -Jef Raskin
The five year anniversary of No Child Left Behind has received a lot of press the last few days. Whatever opinions one may have about the act, reading comprehension and literacy are often a focus of the success/failure of this policy.
But, dear Margaret Spellings (Secretary of Education), what about all of us out there who are struggling with another kind of literacy hurdle?
Like computer illiteracy.
You know, many people make a resolution around this time of year to loose weight, to spend more time with their family or – for us Carrie Bradshaws of the world – to only buy three new pairs of Jimmy Choo shoes in 2007 (maybe four? Come on, one for each season . . .)
Meanwhile, my Dell Latitude annually decides to invoke the next apocalypse. About January 1st every year, I’m presented with the blue screen of death. You know the one. Well, I hope you don’t. But if you do, I’m sure you have a lot less hair on the top of your head.
Everyone says, “Well, at least Dell has great customer service.” Sure, they do, but let’s say my relationship with my friends at Dell is a bit too chummy. Bill loves We are Marshall and was pretty depressed about the Buckeye’s loss this week; Monty is enjoying life in Alberta. They both have my cell and home phone numbers, as well as my e-mail, and have even made house calls. Even people doctors don’t do that anymore.
Nevertheless, with a new hard drive, key board, fan and other parts I can’t anatomically identify – plus two reformatting ventures – apparently my computer could still explode at any minute. I thought that threat ended last summer when I got a new battery – but the messages about some kind of flammable wall still keep coming up.
Secretary Spellings, forget about the classroom – somebody just needs to get this girl a fire extinguisher. Or a computer science boyfriend.
Posted: Winter 2006/2007
7
January
2007
“Hello, it’s me, I’m not at home / If you’d like to reach me, leave me alone.” -Sheryl Crow
A happy belated holiday season and 2007 to everyone! No friends, I haven’t fallen into the blogging abyss or made a 2007 resolution to never lay eyes on the internet again – rather, I’ve been adrift from all means of communication – literally!
I went to Hawaii with my family for awhile. We visited my old stomping grounds and soaked up the rays and 80 degree temperatures, which I likely won’t see in Northeastern Ohio or Upstate New York for the next several months. Besides departing from the weather, I decided to also travel sans cell phone and e-mail. Yep. I didn’t check either for almost two weeks.
Now this didn’t seem like a big deal to me, but I was greeted with surprise from some friends and family members. My Aunt even told my Mom to secretly stash my cell phone in her suitcase. She predicted when I was pining away for my cell phone by day three, my Mom would win “Mother of the Year Award,” hands down.
I found the separation from modern, instantaneous communication to not be a big deal. I was excited to check my e-mail by the time I came home (but that kind of happens on a daily basis anyway). Don’t get me wrong, I love being able to reach people near or far pretty easily – but sometimes I feel the cell phone, the BlackBerry, etc. take us away from the present and the place we actually are at the moment.
Plus, no cell phone equivocated to more time for sleeping, snorkeling, whale watching, hiking and trashy magazine reading. And hey, I hear that the new Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid likes People magazine, so it must be alright for me to read on vacation. Maybe I can even find a class for next semester that includes it on the syllabus? My suggestion for making the most popular class on campus . . .
Posted: Winter 2006/2007
7
January
2007
“Hello, it’s me, I’m not at home / If you’d like to reach me, leave me alone.” -Sheryl Crow
A happy belated holiday season and 2007 to everyone! No friends, I haven’t fallen into the blogging abyss or made a 2007 resolution to never lay eyes on the internet again – rather, I’ve been adrift from all means of communication – literally!
I went to Hawaii with my family for awhile. We visited my old stomping grounds and soaked up the rays and 80 degree temperatures, which I likely won’t see in Northeastern Ohio or Upstate New York for the next several months. Besides departing from the weather, I decided to also travel sans cell phone and e-mail. Yep. I didn’t check either for almost two weeks.
Now this didn’t seem like a big deal to me, but I was greeted with surprise from some friends and family members. My Aunt even told my Mom to secretly stash my cell phone in her suitcase. She predicted when I was pining away for my cell phone by day three, my Mom would win “Mother of the Year Award,” hands down.
I found the separation from modern, instantaneous communication to not be a big deal. I was excited to check my e-mail by the time I came home (but that kind of happens on a daily basis anyway). Don’t get me wrong, I love being able to reach people near or far pretty easily – but sometimes I feel the cell phone, the BlackBerry, etc. take us away from the present and the place we actually are at the moment.
Plus, no cell phone equivocated to more time for sleeping, snorkeling, whale watching, hiking and trashy magazine reading. And hey, I hear that the new Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid likes People magazine, so it must be alright for me to read on vacation. Maybe I can even find a class for next semester that includes it on the syllabus? My suggestion for making the most popular class on campus . . .
Posted: Winter 2006/2007
20
December
2006
“For small creatures such as we the vastness is bearable only through love.” -Carl Sagan
As I’ve touched upon before, one of the greatest aspects of attending Cornell is interacting with a community of individuals who all strive for intellectual achievement. Professors are a critical component of this group, and at Cornell, we are lucky to have many excellent teachers – including some who are rather famous.
Although I never had the chance to study with Carl Sagan, he is surely one of the most well known professors to have taught at Cornell. Today, bloggers everywhere are honoring his memory and achievements. Continuing on with Sagan’s legacy, the Space Science department is an excellent one at Cornell and is involved in exciting research, like the Mars rover expedition. So, here is to a great Cornell faculty member – and the many others to come!
Posted: Winter 2006/2007